WEBVTT OF LAWYERS WHOCAN FILE LAWSUITS AGAINST THETRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER THEISSUE OF DEPORTATION. >> RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, ANDSAY AFTER ME.MIKE: JAVIER BECERRAIS THE NEWCHAMPION FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.>> TITLED IN CALIFORNIA ISLOOKING TO PICK A FIGHT, BUT WEARE READY FOR ONE.BECERRA IS JOINED BY GOVERNORJERRY BROWN.GOVERNOR BROWN: IN CALIFORNIA,IMMIGRANTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PARTOF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE HAVEBECOME.MIKE:PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HASPLEDGED TOCRACKDOWN ON ILLEGALIMMIGRATION, A CAUSE FOR CONCERNON THE CAMPUS OF SACRAMENTOSTATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE MANYSTUDENTS ARE SO-CALLED"DREAMERS," PEOPLE WHO CAME TOCALIFORNIA AS KIDS WHEN THEIRFAMILIES FLED MEXICO AND OTHERCOUNTRIES.NORMA MENDOZA IS ONE OF THEM.>> THERE IS SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY.THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT ISGOING TO HAPPEN.ARE THEY GOING TO GET RID OF THEPROGRAM, YES OR NO?AND IF THEY ARE, WHEN?MIKE:ABILL REQUIRING CANDIDATES TODISCLOSE FIVE YEARS OF TAXRETURNS BEFORE THEIR NAMES CANBE PLACED ON THE PRESIDENTIALBALLOT.>> THE REASON WE ARE DOINGTHISIS NOT BECAUSE CALIFORNIA PICKEDTHIS FIGHT.IT IS BECAUSE PRESIDENT-ELECTDONALD TRUMP MADE THE DECISIONNOT TO RELEASE THEIR RETURNS,AND FRANKLY, HE HAS SOMETHING TOHIDE.MIKE: SOME REPUBLICANS ARECONCERNED THAT CALIFORNIA'SDEFIANCE CAN BRINGREPERCUSSIONS.>> I DON'T THINK THEBEST WAY TONEGOTIATE IS TO POKE THE OTHERPERSON IN THE EYE.IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT TOOMUCH POKING FROM CALIFORNIA.>> MY HOPE IS THATWE DO NOTPAINT OURSELVES IN A CORNER ANDGET FEDERAL FUNDS CAP.-- FUNDS CUT.MIKE: THE GROUPS LIKE THEIMMIGRANT POLICY CENTER ARESUPPORTIVE OF CALIFORNIA STANCE.>> FOLKS SHOULD REALLY PUT SOMEFAITH IN THE WORK OF OUR STATEAND OUR IMMIGRANT RIGHTSACTIVISTS TO ENSURE THAT WE

After being sworn-in Tuesday as the state’s first Latino attorney general, Xavier Becerra became California’s new champion in the fight with the federal government over immigrant rights.

“I don't think California is looking to pick a fight. But, we're ready for one,” Becerra said. “I don’t think California intends to stop doing what we’re doing. Whether at times we’ll have to defend against a hostile external force or we have to advance something of our own.”

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Becerra was joined by Gov. Jerry Brown in defending California’s immigrant population.

"We're preparing for the worst. We're hoping for the best," Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom said. "If he's going to be coming after dreamers and attacking California values, then we're going to push back."

President Donald Trump has pledged to crack down on illegal immigration -– which is a cause for concern on the campus of Sacramento State University. Many students are so-called "dreamers," people who came to California as children when their families fled Mexico or other countries.

Graduate student Norma Mendoza is a "dreamer" and a program coordinator at Sac State’s Dreamer Resource Center.

“There's so much uncertainty,” she said. “I think that's the biggest fear for students -- they just want to know what's going to happen: Are they going to get rid of the program ,yes or no? And if they are, when?”

California’s pushback against Trump includes Senate Bill 149. If it becomes law, it would require candidates running for president to release five years of tax returns before their names can be placed on the California ballot.

“The reason we're doing this is it's not because California picked this fight - it's because President-elect Donald Trump made the decision not to release their returns and frankly he has something to hide,” bill’s author Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said.

Some Republicans are concerned that California’s defiance could bring repercussions.

“I don't think the best way to negotiate is to poke the other person in the eye,” state Sen. Joel Anderson, R-San Diego said. “I think there's been a little bit too much poking from California.”

State Sen. Ted Gaines, R-El Dorado Hills, echoed those sentiments, “My hope is that we don't paint ourselves into a corner and get federal funds cut."

California could potentially lose millions of dollars in the fight over sanctuary cities. But groups like the Immigrant Policy Center are supportive of California’s stance.

“I think folks should put some faith in the work of our state and the work of our immigrant rights advocates to ensure that we continue that progress," the center's spokesperson Gina Di Silva said. "We are protecting all of our residents against whatever actions we may see by the federal government.”

While California has promised to fight the Trump administration, the state is also asking for potentially millions of dollars in federal assistance to repair roads, following the recent wave of powerful storms.